A Date With COPs

Nestled between the view of towering HDB flats, it would be easy to miss the normally quaint and serene background of Bukit Batok Community Club. On 9th November 2014 however, such an occurence would be unlikely. Marking the launch of Bukit Batok Neighbourhood Police Centre (NPC)'s roll out of Community Policing System, music ripped through the air, filling the atmosphere with a rhapsody of elation.

            First launched in May 2012, COPS is a transformation of the NPC policing model that builds on the success of Police’s community policing strategy and brings the Police closer to the community. 

            True to the spirit of strengthening ties and partnership with the community, Bukit Batok NPC partnered with no less than five NPCC units under its jurisdiction to partake in the grandeur. Led by Yusof Ishak Secondary School's NPCC unit, four other units consisting of Bukit View Secondary School, Dunearn Secondary School, Swiss Cottage Secondary school and Hillgrove Secondary School worked together to execute a precision drill performance for the audience.

            Toiling through hours of rigorous training, the cadets persevered through the momentum of footdrills and worked hard at putting up a fine display. Congratulating their hard work, the cheers by the crowd and the smile of Mdm. Halimah Yaacob, Singapore's Parliamentary Speaker, acted as a motivational factor for the cadets to continue serving the corps with pride.

            Strategically, the move by Bukit Batok NPC to involve NPCC in its ongoing plans and operations further reinforces the importance of building partnerships between the two bodies. Echoing NPCC's mission to work in partnership with Singapore Police Force to fight crime and keep Singapore safe, the cooperation between the two reassures SPF's belief in NPCC.

            For students of the schools involved, such an event provided a platform for them to showcase their often kept talent and engage themselves with the society. The smiles carved on the faces of the participating cadets subtly echoed Joseph Campbell's maxim of a hero being someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself. For cadets especially, the opportunity presented is indeed an occurence in their life that they can never forget. While tomorrow would come and go, 9th November 2014 would remain etched in their memories.

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Sentosa Outreach Programme

16 March 2015 passed with a whir of excitement. Especially for myself as the programme in-charge, I was anxious over the event that was due to take place. Working together with police officers from Bukit Merah West NPC, we were tasked to spread crime awareness messages to visitors of Sentosa. Depending on the area of concern, we engaged the public on matters such as theft from person or outrage of modesty.

On a personal note however, I learnt the value of teamwork and the realisation that simple reminders to one another can sometimes go a long way in making Singapore a safer place for all. There was great joy and satisfaction when visitors were kind enough to stop and listen to our advice. I am really grateful for the opportunity and look forward to working with real life police officers again.

Sgt (NPCC) Shameera

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Move Back Sir!!

            The value of knowledge in unarmed defensive tactics cannot be undermined. When placed in a position of jeopardy, an awareness of basic unarmed tactics can be valuable in encouraging an individual to get himself out of danger's way. 

            A recent move by National Police Cadet Corp (NPCC) to introduce basic unarmed tactics to cadets of its corps is therefore seen as a proactive measure on its part to deter crime. In line with its mission to work in partnership with Singapore Police Force (SPF) to fight crime and keep Singapore safe, NPCC reaches out to police cadets by training them with its version of defense tactics.

            Modeled from SPF's police defense tactics, NPCC's unarmed defensive tactics adopts a passive and defensive stance, illuminating the importance of safety in the young minds. Resoundingly similar from the get-go, the unarmed defense tactics employs the same call of "Move back, sir!" with every move or stance.

            More interesting for the cadets however is the impression of undergoing the same training as regular police officers, albeit with slight modifications. Imagine the joy for cadets who are blessed with the opportunity to get intimate with the sacred grounds of Home Team Academy, an all familiar location for members of SPF. While it may seem like a trivial privilege for police officers, such an experience presented itself as a once in a lifetime opportunity for cadets.

            A rite de passage of sorts for secondary 2 cadets, 22 November 2014 marked a new chapter for cadets hailing from various schools in Singapore. Adding to the cadets' arsenal of skills slowly gained through their involvement in NPCC, learning unarmed tactics from actual police officers reaffirmed their faith in SPF's capability in protecting Singapore.

            When elicited for a response from the cadets, Diyanah of Bukit View Secondary School summed up her experience as one that has illustrated to her the importance of maintaining firmness and integrity for police officers on the streets. Afterall, officers from the Singapore Police Force serve as the first line of justice for Singapore and Singaporeans alike. Through the invaluable interaction between SPF and NPCC, the unarmed tactics course subtly resonates Ronald Reagan's call for unruffled minds in handling tough situations. Taking the former American president's maxim to heart, "Peace is not the absence of conflict. It is the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means."

Insp (NPCC) Muhammad Jailani

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